Uttara-khaṇḍa · Chapter 52
Sourceयुधिष्ठिरउवाच- आषाढकृष्णपक्षे तु किं वै एकादशी भवेत् । कथयस्व प्रसादेन वासुदेव ममाग्रतः १। श्रीकृष्ण उवाच- व्रतानामुत्तमं राजन्कथयामि तवाग्रतः । सर्वपापक्षयकरं सर्वमुक्तिप्रदायकम् २। आषाढस्यासिते पक्षे योगिनी नाम नामतः । एकादशी नृपश्रेष्ठ महापातकनाशिनी ३। संसारार्णवमग्नानां पोतभूता सनातनी । जगत्त्रये सारभूता योगिनी व्रतकारिणाम् ४। कथयामि तवाग्रेऽहं कथां पौराणिकीं शुभाम् । अलकायां राजराजः शिवभक्तिपरायणः ५। तस्यासीत्पुष्पबटुको हेममालीति नामतः । तस्य पत्नी सुरूपा च विशालाक्षीति नामतः ६। स तस्यां चासक्तमना कामपाशवशं गतः । मानसात्पुष्पनिचयमानीय स्वगृहे स्थितः ७। पत्नीप्रेमरसासक्तो न कुबेरालयं गतः । कुबेरो देवसदने करोति शिवपूजनम् ८। मध्याह्नसमये राजन्पुष्पागमसमीक्षकः । हेममाली स्वभवने रमते कांतया सह ९। यक्षराट्प्रत्युवाचाथ कालातिक्रमकोपितः । कस्मान्नायाति भो यक्षा हेममाली दुरात्मवान् । निश्चयः क्रियतामस्य इत्युवाच पुनः पुनः १०। यक्षा ऊचुः - वनिताकामुको गेहे रमते स्वेच्छया नृप । तेषां वाक्यं समाकर्ण्य कुबेरः कोपपूरितः ११। आह्वयामास तं तूर्णं बटुकं हेममालिनम् । ज्ञात्वा कालात्ययं सोऽपि भयव्याकुललोचनः १२। अस्नात एव आगत्य कुबेरस्याग्रतः स्थितः । तं दृष्ट्वा धनदः क्रुद्धः क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः १३। प्रत्युवाच रुषाविष्टः कोपप्रस्फुरिताधरः । धनद उवाच- आः पाप दुष्ट दुर्वृत्त कृतवान्देवहेलनम् १४। अष्टादशकुष्ठवृतो वियुक्तः कांतया तया । अस्मात्स्थानादपध्वस्तो गच्छ स्वप्नमथाधम १५। इत्युक्ते वचने तस्य तस्मात्स्थानात्पपात सः । महादुःखाभिभूतश्च कुष्ठैः पीडितविग्रहः १६। न सुखं दिवसे तस्य न निद्रां लभते निशि । छायायां पीडिततनुर्निदाघेऽत्यंतपीडितः १७। शिवपूजाप्रभावेन स्मृतिस्तस्य न लुप्यते । पातकेनाभिभूतोऽपि पूर्वं कर्म स्मरत्यसौ १८। भ्रममाणस्ततो गच्छन्हिमाद्रिं पर्वतोत्तमम् । तत्रापश्यन्मुनिवरं मार्कंडेयं तपोनिधिम् १९। यस्यायुर्विद्यते राजन्ब्रह्मणो वयसा समम् । ववंदे चरणौ तस्य दूरतः पापकर्मकृत् २०। मार्कंडेयो मुनिवरो दृष्ट्वा तं कंपितं तथा । परोपकरणार्थाय समाहूयेदमब्रवीत् २१। कस्मात्कुष्ठाभिभूतस्त्वं कुतो निंद्यतरो ह्यसि । इत्युक्तः स प्रत्युवाच मार्कंडेयं महामुनिम् २२। हेममाल्युवाच- राजराजस्यानुचरो हेममालीति नामतः । मानसात्पद्मनिचयमानीय प्रत्यहं मुने २३। शिवपूजनवेलायां कुबेराय समर्पये । एकस्मिन्दिवसे चैव कालश्चाविदितो मया २४। पत्नीसौख्यप्रसक्तेन शोकव्याकुलचेतसा । ततः क्रुद्धेन शप्तोऽस्मि राजराजेन वै मुने २५। कुष्ठाभिभूतः संजातो वियुक्तः कांतया तया । अधुना तव सान्निध्यं प्राप्तोऽस्मि शुभकर्मणा २६। सतां स्वभावतश्चित्तं परोपकरणे क्षमम् । इति ज्ञात्वा मुनिश्रेष्ठ मां प्रशाधि कृतागसम् २७। मार्कंडेय उवाच- त्वया सत्यमिह प्रोक्तं नासत्यं भाषितं यतः । अतो व्रतोपदेशं ते कथयामि शुभप्रदम् २८। आषाढे कृष्णपक्षे तु योगिनीव्रतमाचर । अस्य व्रतस्य पुण्येन कुष्ठं यास्यति वै ध्रुवम् २९। इति वाक्यमृषेः श्रुत्वा दंडवत्पतितो भुवि । उत्थापितः स मुनिना बभूवातीव हर्षितः ३०। मार्कंडेयोपदेशेन व्रतं तेन कृतं यथा । अष्टादशेव कुष्ठानि गतानि तस्य सर्वशः ३१। मुनेर्वाचा ततः सम्यग्व्रते चीर्णेऽभवत्सुखी । ईदृग्विधं नृपश्रेष्ठ कथितं योगिनीव्रतम् ३२। अष्टाशीतिसहस्राणि द्विजान्भोजयते तु यः । तत्समं फलमाप्नोति योगिनीव्रतकृन्नरः ३३। महापापप्रशमनं महापुण्यफलप्रदम् । पठनाच्छ्रवणान्मर्त्यः सर्वपापैः प्रमुच्यते ३४। इति श्रीपाद्मे महापुराणे पंचपंचाशत्साहस्र्यां संहितायामुत्तरखंडे उमापतिनारदसंवादे आषाढकृष्णयोगिन्येकादशीमाहात्म्यंनाम द्विपंचाशत्तमोऽध्यायः ५२।
yudhiṣṭhirauvāca- āṣāḍhakṛṣṇapakṣe tu kiṃ vai ekādaśī bhavet | kathayasva prasādena vāsudeva mamāgrataḥ 1| śrīkṛṣṇa uvāca- vratānāmuttamaṃ rājankathayāmi tavāgrataḥ | sarvapāpakṣayakaraṃ sarvamuktipradāyakam 2| āṣāḍhasyāsite pakṣe yoginī nāma nāmataḥ | ekādaśī nṛpaśreṣṭha mahāpātakanāśinī 3| saṃsārārṇavamagnānāṃ potabhūtā sanātanī | jagattraye sārabhūtā yoginī vratakāriṇām 4| kathayāmi tavāgre'haṃ kathāṃ paurāṇikīṃ śubhām | alakāyāṃ rājarājaḥ śivabhaktiparāyaṇaḥ 5| tasyāsītpuṣpabaṭuko hemamālīti nāmataḥ | tasya patnī surūpā ca viśālākṣīti nāmataḥ 6| sa tasyāṃ cāsaktamanā kāmapāśavaśaṃ gataḥ | mānasātpuṣpanicayamānīya svagṛhe sthitaḥ 7| patnīpremarasāsakto na kuberālayaṃ gataḥ | kubero devasadane karoti śivapūjanam 8| madhyāhnasamaye rājanpuṣpāgamasamīkṣakaḥ | hemamālī svabhavane ramate kāṃtayā saha 9| yakṣarāṭpratyuvācātha kālātikramakopitaḥ | kasmānnāyāti bho yakṣā hemamālī durātmavān | niścayaḥ kriyatāmasya ityuvāca punaḥ punaḥ 10| yakṣā ūcuḥ - vanitākāmuko gehe ramate svecchayā nṛpa | teṣāṃ vākyaṃ samākarṇya kuberaḥ kopapūritaḥ 11| āhvayāmāsa taṃ tūrṇaṃ baṭukaṃ hemamālinam | jñātvā kālātyayaṃ so'pi bhayavyākulalocanaḥ 12| asnāta eva āgatya kuberasyāgrataḥ sthitaḥ | taṃ dṛṣṭvā dhanadaḥ kruddhaḥ krodhasaṃraktalocanaḥ 13| pratyuvāca ruṣāviṣṭaḥ kopaprasphuritādharaḥ | dhanada uvāca- āḥ pāpa duṣṭa durvṛtta kṛtavāndevahelanam 14| aṣṭādaśakuṣṭhavṛto viyuktaḥ kāṃtayā tayā | asmātsthānādapadhvasto gaccha svapnamathādhama 15| ityukte vacane tasya tasmātsthānātpapāta saḥ | mahāduḥkhābhibhūtaśca kuṣṭhaiḥ pīḍitavigrahaḥ 16| na sukhaṃ divase tasya na nidrāṃ labhate niśi | chāyāyāṃ pīḍitatanurnidāghe'tyaṃtapīḍitaḥ 17| śivapūjāprabhāvena smṛtistasya na lupyate | pātakenābhibhūto'pi pūrvaṃ karma smaratyasau 18| bhramamāṇastato gacchanhimādriṃ parvatottamam | tatrāpaśyanmunivaraṃ mārkaṃḍeyaṃ taponidhim 19| yasyāyurvidyate rājanbrahmaṇo vayasā samam | vavaṃde caraṇau tasya dūrataḥ pāpakarmakṛt 20| mārkaṃḍeyo munivaro dṛṣṭvā taṃ kaṃpitaṃ tathā | paropakaraṇārthāya samāhūyedamabravīt 21| kasmātkuṣṭhābhibhūtastvaṃ kuto niṃdyataro hyasi | ityuktaḥ sa pratyuvāca mārkaṃḍeyaṃ mahāmunim 22| hemamālyuvāca- rājarājasyānucaro hemamālīti nāmataḥ | mānasātpadmanicayamānīya pratyahaṃ mune 23| śivapūjanavelāyāṃ kuberāya samarpaye | ekasmindivase caiva kālaścāvidito mayā 24| patnīsaukhyaprasaktena śokavyākulacetasā | tataḥ kruddhena śapto'smi rājarājena vai mune 25| kuṣṭhābhibhūtaḥ saṃjāto viyuktaḥ kāṃtayā tayā | adhunā tava sānnidhyaṃ prāpto'smi śubhakarmaṇā 26| satāṃ svabhāvataścittaṃ paropakaraṇe kṣamam | iti jñātvā muniśreṣṭha māṃ praśādhi kṛtāgasam 27| mārkaṃḍeya uvāca- tvayā satyamiha proktaṃ nāsatyaṃ bhāṣitaṃ yataḥ | ato vratopadeśaṃ te kathayāmi śubhapradam 28| āṣāḍhe kṛṣṇapakṣe tu yoginīvratamācara | asya vratasya puṇyena kuṣṭhaṃ yāsyati vai dhruvam 29| iti vākyamṛṣeḥ śrutvā daṃḍavatpatito bhuvi | utthāpitaḥ sa muninā babhūvātīva harṣitaḥ 30| mārkaṃḍeyopadeśena vrataṃ tena kṛtaṃ yathā | aṣṭādaśeva kuṣṭhāni gatāni tasya sarvaśaḥ 31| munervācā tataḥ samyagvrate cīrṇe'bhavatsukhī | īdṛgvidhaṃ nṛpaśreṣṭha kathitaṃ yoginīvratam 32| aṣṭāśītisahasrāṇi dvijānbhojayate tu yaḥ | tatsamaṃ phalamāpnoti yoginīvratakṛnnaraḥ 33| mahāpāpapraśamanaṃ mahāpuṇyaphalapradam | paṭhanācchravaṇānmartyaḥ sarvapāpaiḥ pramucyate 34| iti śrīpādme mahāpurāṇe paṃcapaṃcāśatsāhasryāṃ saṃhitāyāmuttarakhaṃḍe umāpatināradasaṃvāde āṣāḍhakṛṣṇayoginyekādaśīmāhātmyaṃnāma dvipaṃcāśattamo'dhyāyaḥ 52|
English translation
Yudhiṣṭhira said :
1. What would be (i.e. is the name of) the Ekādaśī in the dark half of Āṣāḍha ? Please favour and tell it to me.
Śrīkṛṣṇa said :
2-10. O king, I shall tell you the best of the vows, which destroys all sins and gives full salvation. In the dark half of Āṣāḍha (falls) the Ekādaśī called Yoginī . O best king, it destroys great sins. (This) Yoginī is an ancient boat for those plunged into the ocean of the worldly existence and for (the good of) those observing the vow of Yoginī which has become the essence in the three worlds. I shall tell an old, auspicious tale. In Alakā (lived) Kubera solely devoted to Śiva . He had a flower-collector called Hemamālin. His beautiful wife was Viśālākṣī by name. With his mind attached to her and being under the sway of Cupid’s noose, he, after having brought a heap of flowers from the Mānasa (lake) stayed at home. Being attached to his wife through love, he did not go to Kubera’s house. In the temple of god Kubera was worshipping Śiva. O king, at mid-day he was waiting for the flowers. Hemamālin enjoyed with his wife in his house. The king of yakṣas , angry due to the delay, then said: “O yakṣas, why is the wicked-minded Hemamālin not coming (yet)? Ascertain about (i.e. the whereabouts of) him.” Thus he spoke repeatedly.
The yakṣas said :
11-14a. O king, lustful for his wife, he rejoices in his house as he pleases.
Hearing their words Kubera was filled with anger. He quickly called that attendant, Hemamālin. He too having realized the delay, with his eyes full of fear, came there even without bathing, and stood in front of him. Seeing him Kubera was angry, and his eyes were reddish due to anger. Full of anger and with his lips trembling through anger, he said:
Kubera said :
14b-22. O sinner, O you of a wicked conduct, you have condemned the god (Śiva). O meanest among the attendants, you, separated from your wife, and suffering from eighteen kinds of leprosy, disappear from this place, and go away.
When these words were uttered by him, he fell from that place and overcome with great grief, his body suffered from leprosy. By day he did not get happiness, nor did he have sleep at night. In the shadow his body was extremely tormented, and he was oppressed in the summer. Due to the efficacy of Śiva's worship his memory was not lost. Though overpowered by sin, he remembered his old deeds. (Then) wandering from there he went to Himālaya , the excellent mountain. There he saw the ascetic Mārkaṇḍeya , the excellent sage. His age was equal to that of Brahmā . The sinner saluted his feet from a distance. The best sage Mārkaṇḍeya, having seen him trembling like that, called him to oblige him, and said these words to him: “Why (i.e. due to what) are you overcome with leprosy? Why are you so much condemned?” Thus addressed, he replied to Mārkaṇḍeya, the great sage:
Hemamālin said :
23-27. I am Kubera’s attendant, Hemamālin by name. O sage, everyday I fetched a collection of lotuses and offered it to Kubera at the time of his worshipping Śiva; and one day I, with my mind attached to the pleasure (derived) from my wife and with my mind distressed with grief, was not conscious of the time. Therefore, O sage, I was cursed by the angry Kubera. I am overcome with leprosy, and am separated from my wife. Due to my auspicious deeds, I have now come to you, knowing that the heart of the good is naturally capable of obliging others. O best sage, advise me, a sinner.
Mārkaṇḍeya said :
28-34. Since you told the truth here and did not tell a lie, therefore, I am, instructing you in an auspicious vow. Observe the Yoginī-vow in the dark half of Āṣāḍha. Due to the religious merit of this vow, your leprosy will certainly disappear.
Hearing these words of the sage, he fell (i.e. prostrated himself) like a staff on the ground. Being lifted up by the sage, he became extremely delighted. By the advice of Mārkaṇḍeya he observed the vow, with the result that the eighteen kinds of leprosy of him (i.e. from which he was suffering) disappeared completely. When by the sage’s words he observed the vow, he became happy. O king, the vow of Yoginī is said to be like this. A man who observes the Yoginī-vow obtains the fruit equal to that which a man who would feed eighty-eight thousand brāhmaṇas obtains. (The vow) removes great sins; it gives the fruit of great religious merit. By reciting and listening to this account a man is free from all sins.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 44624, revision 336433 (2022-04-22T01:46:31Z). English is N. A. Deshpande’s complete translation, controlled against its chapter page at https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-padma-purana/d/doc365629.html and the ten-volume archival witness. The witnesses are aligned at chapter level; no unsupported verse-by-verse equivalence is asserted.